Garment hanger



March 11, 1952 w, p CROCKETT, JR 2,588,965

GARMENT HANGER 7 Filed April 22, 1949 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1 March 11, 1952 w p CRQCKETT, JR 2,588,955

GARMENT HANGER Filed April 22, 1949 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 Patented Mar. 11, 1952 J-IT ED PATENT OF FFICE GARMENT HANGER William :B. Crockett, J r., Chicago, 111., assignor 'to .Mackie-Lovejoy Manufacturing 00., Chicago, 111., a corporation of Illinois Application -'April 22, 1949, *Sefial No. 88,948

.112 Claims. 1

"H nts "invention relates to :an improved :garment hanger, and in particular to an improved spring means for holding the jaws apart.

In a device of this type .jaws are provided to engage thegarment to be'support'ed, and the jaws turn are supported by arms or by other :means which are hingedly *connected to each other.

jaws "is facilitated.

Heretofore :the spring :means employed for urge ing "the jaws apart has constituted :a coil spring; having extended "end portions which are wrapped arou-nd or otherwise secured to the two hingedly jf A clamping lever is provided for urging the jaws" sconn'ected elements. One disadvantage of this type rof spring is that it is subject to breakage or to permanent deformation if the jaws are Another disadvantage is that.

opened too far.

the spring may not be readily replaced by the.

average user clue to the difficulty of wrapping the ends of the spring around two hingedly conerected elements.

:An object of this invention is to provide an improved spring means which is not subject to *breakage or deformation when the jaws :are'

opened too far.

nnotherobjeetis toprovide an improved spring -means which is readily replaceable by the average Poser.

Still another object is to provide an improved :garment hanger which is simple and positive in its action and which can =be manufactured 'oom- :paratively inexpensively.

A further object is to provide in a garment hanger, improved spring means which ca-n be fabric'ated from high carbon sheet steel stock, to the end that all the springs of a given production run will have substantially uniform chara-cteristi'cs.

Other objects, ieatures and advantages will :become apparent as the description proceeds.

} With reference now to the "drawings in which like reference numerals designate like parts:

Fig. l is a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of my invention;

:Fig. 2 is a vertical section showing the hanger in open position;

Fig. "3 is a rear view of parts shown in the Fig. 2tpos1tion1;

Fig. 4 i's'a section taken along line 4-4 offFi'g; 3, but showing the parts in partially closed ponew;

2 Fig. .5 :is an end view of the spring; Fig. '6 is :a front view thereof Fig. 7 is a rear view thereof; JIFig. 8 is a plan view thereof. I Figs. "9 to 15 illustrate a modified form of any invention, Fig. 9 being a perspective view of the spring in combination with the associated parts of :the hanger; I

I is a perspective view of the spring alone;

Fig. 11 is an end view;

Fig. 12 is a rear view;

Fig. 13 is a plan view;

.Fig. :14 is a .front view, and

Fig. 15 is a section taken along lines -.l -:l='5 or Fi 9.

The hanger comprises a pair of jaws to and l 1., each of which are supported by rods 42 and 13 respectively. The :rod 42 comprises =end portions M which are received-in the jaw .40, a'centrally disposedcrank and .pintles 16 which are disposed between the crank and the two "end portions.

The rod 13 comprises end portions I L received in and secured to the jaw H, a. centrally disiposedcra-nk 1'8, and helices I lone-being disposed at either side of the crank 18. The helices surround the pintles I6 and provide a hinged :connection between the .jaw Ill and :rod 12 on the one hand, and the :jaw ill and the rod l3 on the other hand.

Each of the cranks l5 and -18 comprise sub- 'stanti'ally parallel leg portions and a connecting portion. A clampinglever 20 is pivotally moon-ted on the crank 18, the end of the lever "being bent around the connecting portion -of the crank. A roller 21 is mountedon the-crank IS in a posh tion to beengaged by the clamping lever =20. As the clamping .iever is swung upwardly from the position shown inFig. .1, it will engage the roller 21 and cause the jaws to close and to engage each other with a resilience that iswprovided by the stressing of various parts of the rods 12 and L3.

A U-shaped spring 22 having two legs .provided to urge the jaws into open position when "the-clamping lever is disengaged from the roller 21 as shown in Fig. 1. Elhe spring 22 is :preferably fabricated from high carbonishe'et :steel stock as shown sin detail in Figs. 4 150 8 inclusive. One =-of the legs comprises a base .portion 2-3., and the other leg comprises :an 24. .n eonn'ecning portion"25 connects the base portion and arm. The connecting :portion is bent "as shown in :Fig. 5 that the isprin'g as a whole is iii-shaped.

by sliding it in a downward direction. However} the wings are provided with tails 21 which are curved through more than 180 so as to interlock with the crank to a slight'degree, thereby preventing the spring from inadvertently slipping off of the crank. The resilience of the stock from which the spring is made permits these tails to be cammed over the connecting portion or bottom of the crank l8.

The arm 24 is provided with laterally extended portions 28 which are engaged by the parallel leg portions of the crank I5. The wings 26 provide a means for securing the spring to the crank [8 in such a manner that the arm 24 will not wobble, but is always maintained in a position intwhich it will be engaged by the crank l5.

The base portion 23 is provided with a slot 29 which permits the spring to be slipped downwardly and removed from the crank I8 without interference due to the presence of the bent-over end of the clamping lever 20. The width of the connecting portion 25 of the spring is less than the distance between the parallel leg portions of the crank 18, thereby permitting the sliding movement above referred to.

The outer end of the clamping lever 26 may be formed into a hook so that a garment hanger can be supported from a suitable clothes rod. However, other supporting means may be provided if desired, and the clamping lever utilized solely in connection with its clamping function.

In operation, it will be observed that the arm 24 of the spring is not interlocked with the crank l5. Thus, the jaws may be opened to or beyond the 90 position shown in Fig. 2 without deforming or breaking the spring 22. In the event that the spring does become bent or deformed, as it might in case the hanger were dropped, the damaged spring can be readilyremoved and a new one substituted by the user without the use of any special tools.

A modified form of the invention is shown in Figs. 9'to in which the spring 22' is formed from wire, rather than from sheet metal. The wire is formed so as to provide 'a U-shaped member'having'a base portion 23 and an arm 24',

these parts being joined bya connecting portion 25. The spring is made from a single length of wire, the free. ends being disposed in the base portion 23'. The base portion is provided with two pairs of half loops which correspond to the wings 26 of the sheet metal spring. The arm 24' is provided with laterally extended portions 28 which correspond to portions 28 of the sheet metal'spring.

The operation of the wire spring 22 is substantially the same as that of the sheet metal spring 22. The base portion 23 is secured to the crank l8, and the arm 24' is free to be engaged by the crank I5 as the jaws are closed. The spring 23 is readily removable, and this is accomplished by spreading the two wires of the base portion apart so that the loops 30 can be disengaged from the arms of the crank I8.

of my invention, it will be understood that various modifications and changes may be made therein without departing from the spirit of my invention as defined by the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A garment hanger comprising two jaws and two rods, each rod being secured to and supporting one of said jaws, said jaws and-said rods being oppositely disposed from each other to pro- 'vide a space between one jaw and its associated 'rod and the other jaw and its associated rod, means hingedly connecting said rods to each other for pivoted movement, clamping means engaging said rods to bring said jaws into clamping engagement with each other, and a U-shaped spring having one leg secured to one of said rods at two spaced points and having the other leg free and normally disposed in a projected positioninto the space between said rods wherein it will be engaged by the other of said rods as said jaws are brought into clamping position, .said spring serving to urge said jaws out of clamping position. 25A garment hanger comprising two jaws, a rod-for supporting each of said jaws, said jaws and said rods being oppositely disposed from one another to provide a space between one jaw and its associated rod and the other jaw and its associated rod, each of said rods comprising two end portions bent to form jaw arms and a centrally disposed crank having substantially parallel legs and a bottom portion connecting said legs, means hingedly connecting said rods to each other at points between said crank and said jaw arms to provide for pivoted movement of said rods with respect to each other, a clamping lever pivotally Although'I have shown only two embodiments mounted on one of said cranks and ada'ptedto engage the other of said cranks to bring said jaws into clamping engagement with each other, and a U-shaped spring having one leg secured to one of said cranks at two spaced points, and having the other leg projecting from said first leg into the space between said cranks and normally disposed in a position wherein it will be engaged by the other of said cranks as said jaws are brought into clamping position, said spring serving to urge said jaws out of clamping position.

3. A garment hanger as claimed in claim 2 in which said first leg comprises a base portion pro- 0 vided with wings which are bent around and engage the legs of said crank at two spaced points whereby said other leg may be maintained in said normal position."

4. A garment hanger as claimed in claim 3 in V which said spring is removably mounted on said first mentioned crank and in which said wing portions are provided with tails which extend around said legs for more than said tails'being resilient to permit deformation thereof as said spring is removed from said crank by downward sliding action. 7

5. A garment hanger as claimed in claim 2 in which said first leg comprises a base portion slidably mounted on the-parallel legs of said first mentioned crank, said base portion having wings bent around said crank engaging the legs thereof to permit relative sliding motion of the spring with respect to said crank in a downward-direction away from the axis of said hinged connection. a

6. A garment hanger'as claimed in claim 5 in which the portion connecting the legs of 'said spring is of a width less than the distance between the legs of said first mentionedcrank and in which said base portion is provided with a'slot.

7. A garment hanger comprising two jaws, a rod for supporting each of said jaws, said jaws and said rods being oppositely disposed from each other to provide a space between one jaw and its associated rod and the other jaw and its associated rod, each of said rods comprising two end portions bent to form jaw arms and an intermediate portion including a crank, one of said rods being bent around the other at points between said crank and said jaw arms to form two aligned hinged portions to provide for pivoted movement of said rods with respect to each other, a clamping lever pivotally mounted on one of said cranks and adapted to engage the other of said cranks to bring said jaws into clamping engagement with each other, and a U-shaped spring having one leg secured to one of said cranks at two spaced points, and having the other leg projecting therefrom into the space between said cranks and normally disposed in a position wherein it will be engaged by the other of said cranks as said jaws are brought into clamping position, said spring serving to urge said jaws out of clamping position, the engagement between said leg and said second mentioned crank being such as to permit movement of said second mentioned crank away from the normal position of said second mentioned leg when the jaws are opened 90 or more.

8. A spring for a garment hanger of the type having two hingedly connected supporting rods, one of said rods having a crank which includes two parallel crank legs, comprising a U-shaped spring member formed from sheet metal, one leg of said spring comprising a base having wings which are bent through an arc of substantially 180 for slidably engaging said parallel crank legs, and the other leg of said spring comprising a projecting arm for engagement by the other one of said supporting rods, whereby said spring may be removably mounted on said crank leg.

9. A spring for a garment hanger of the type having two hingedly connected supporting rods each having two substantially radially disposed portions which are parallel to each other, the parallel portions of one rod being oppositely disposed to the parallel portions of the other, comprising a U-shaped spring member formed from sheet metal, one leg of said spring comprising a base having wings which are bent through an arc of substantially 180 for engaging the parallel portions of one of said supporting rods, and the other leg of said spring comprising a. projecting arm having laterally extended portions for engagement by the parallel leg portions of the other one of said supporting rods.

10. A spring for a garment hanger of the type having two hingedly connecting supporting rods, one of said rods having a crank which includes two parallel crank legs, comprising a U-shaped spring member formed from wire, one leg of said spring comprising a base having two pairs of half loops for detachably engaging said parallel crank legs, and the other leg of said spring comprising a projecting arm for engagement by the other one of said supporting rods, whereby said spring may be removably mounted on said crank leg.

11. A spring for a garment hanger of the type having two hingedly connected supporting rods each having substantially radially disposed portions which are opposite to each other, comprising a U-shaped spring member formed from a single length of wire, one leg of said spring comprising a base having a pair of half loops for detachably engaging one of said rods, and the other leg of said spring comprising a projecting arm having a portion for engagement by the other one of said supporting rods.

12. A spring for a garment hanger of the type having two hingedly connected supporting rods each having two substantially radially disposed portions which are parallel to each other, the parallel portions of one rod being oppositely disposed to the parallel portions of the other, comprising a U-shaped spring member formed from a single length of wire, one leg of said spring comprising a base having two pairs of half loops for detachably engaging the parallel portions of one of said supporting rods, and the other leg of said spring comprising a projecting arm having laterally extended portions for engagement by the parallel leg portions of the other one of said supporting rods, the free ends of said single length of wire being disposed in said base portion.

WILLIAM P. CROCKETT, JR.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

